Blue Mage (3.5e Class)
Blue Mage Hailing from a land far to the east, fierce, bestial mages train their minds, bodies and souls to defeat the enemies of the empire and to strengthen their own powers. These warriors, who could scarcely be called men anymore, are the true might behind the throne of the empress. Few who battle the immortals return to tell the tale of their strength, but those that do speak of encountering, not only a skilled swordsmaster, but their worst nightmares from the wilds around them; the flaming breath of a red dragon, the petrifying gaze of a Medusa, the virulent poison of a thousand beasts, all from one terrifying source — the blue mages of the east. Blue mages are rarely found outside of the empire of Aht Urhgan, but those that are usually are out at the behest of the captain of the immortals or even the Empress herself. Some are sent out to gain powers from faraway lands to better serve in the defense against the bestial hordes that constantly besiege the empire; others are sent out to obtain artifacts or information that would help their society. Whatever the blue mage is out doing, one can be assured that they are wholeheartedly devoted to the task at hand. Blue mages are trained from very near birth in the ways of the azure arts. They all share a few of the following traits. They were all born in Aht Urhgan, they all show above average force of will, and they will all fight to the death if their Empress commands it. All blue mages in the past three decades have trained under Raubahn Hydrahunter, the captain of the immortals, and have all slain a predator in one-on-one combat and absorbed its essence. At this point, the vizier Razfahd officially bequeaths them the title Blue Mage and Immortal, and gives them their new surname, which pertains to their foe (Wolfrender, Lionsbane, Bearslayer, etc.) Blue mages regularly change their surnames throughout their adventures as they defeat more and more powerful beasts, no longer required to maintain a predator's name (Phoenixigniter, Golemcrumbler, Efreetbottler, etc.) All blue mages recognize each other as members of an elite order dedicated to the protection of their home and empress, and will only fight against each other to the death if one has fallen into irreversible insanity. Making a Blue Mage The source of a blue mage’s power is the azure essence tied to his soul. A blue mage can absorb and command the powers of the essence of any foe he has felled, drawing on their supernatural and extraordinary abilities. Even without their repertoire of blue magic, a blue mage is skilled in the use of scimitars, clubs, and the chakram, therefore making him a formidable opponent in one-on-one combat. The further a blue mage delves into his power, the more fragmented his soul becomes. Many blue mages teeter on the brink of insanity. A blue mage whose azure essence has taken control of his body is truly a terrifying thing to see, and a deadly foe to face. Abilities: A blue mage has a use for almost every attribute; strength for their skill with scimitars, dexterity for striking at a range with their chakrams, constitution for weathering blows, intelligence to aid in the learning of spells, and charisma for dealing with the masses. Most important, though, is their wisdom, the one thing keeping them sane. Ever on the verge of insanity, a blue mage with a weak will is doomed to failure. Races: Blue mages can be of any intelligent race, so long as they originate in the empire of Aht Urhgan. Human, Elven, Halfling, Gnomish, Dwarven, and even Half-Orc blue mages are not unheard of, and all undergo the same training and all serve the empress with every fiber of their being. Alignment: Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil — A blue mage must keep a lawful mindset if he has even the slightest hope of remaining sane, and, though he can strive to do good, and to be good, most good deities tend to frown upon such actions as the consumption of souls for power. Starting Gold: 3d6x10 (100) gp. Starting Age: "As Fighter" Spells: Besides normal advancement at epic levels, the only way a blue mage advances is through a growing repertoire of spells. Human Blue Mage Starting Package Weapons: 2 Scimitars, Chakram Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier. Feat: Power Attack Bonus Feats: Blind-Fight Gear: Leather Armor, Standard Adventurer's Kit, Traveler's Outfit, Tome of Aht Urhgan Law. Gold: 4d6 x4. Campaign Information Playing a Blue Mage Religion: Blue mages tend to worship gods of Law or Power, but rarely dedicate themselves to one particular deity. Much as they live their lives, a blue mage sees his worship of a deity as a means to an end. Even the best-hearted blue mage is liable to call upon Erythnul’s blessing when going against an army of foes. Blue mages respect nature, but do not hold it in the reverence of a druid or a ranger. Other Classes: A blue mage asks himself two questions when dealing with a potential ally; “Is he a threat to the empress?” and “Is he useful to my quest?” Aside from these two questions, a blue mage doesn’t care about who they adventure with, though they recognize traits of value in their allies (A Rogue’s stealth and ability to strike at the vital points of an opponent, a wizard or cleric’s command of magic, a Monk or Paladin’s discipline, a Ranger’s knowledge of the wilds, etc.) There are only two kinds of classes blue mages are wary of: Psions and Barbarians. Ever at war within their own mind, a blue mage fears that a malevolent psion would tip the balance against them, and they see the barbarian as what they might well become if they let their magic go unchecked. Combat: The blue mage’s role in a group can vary drastically based on the spells they learn throughout an adventure. Whereas one blue mage might find himself in the role of a healer, another may find himself out at the front lines of battle, grinning at the glory of battle. Advancement: Most blue mages keep to the path of the blue mage, as the rigid structure of the training is also geared to keep their bestial souls in check; with special training from the empire, however, a blue mage may multi-class into anything that benefits the empire. Blue Mage/Rangers are not unheard of, hunting down monsters for the empire's monster breeding grounds, and Blue Mage/Rogues are the most dangerous assassins imaginable. Blue mages never multiclass into another arcane spellcaster, as a schism in their magic would result in their mind instantly fragmenting. Blue Mage/Barbarians and Blue Mage/Psions are straight out. Reports of Blue Mage/Druids among the bestial hordes have yet to be confirmed, though, this is due to anyone sent to investigate failing to return. Blue mages who attempt to multiclass without special training from the empire suffer a cumulative 10% chance of slipping into permanent insanity for each level they take of another class without training. Blue Mages in the World Daily Life: Davis Serpentdivider is awakened at dawn for his daily drills with the immortals. As it is the fifth day of the week, the drills begin with simple meditation, to realign their souls. Today is sparring day, the risk of injury triggering an insane rage is already high enough as it is, the risk of one's mind being unstable during these matches is too extreme. He enters the training chamber in the depths of the imperial ward and dons the heavy training armor. It offers little protection, accustoming his order to pain, while greatly encumbering him so that when he fights in battle, the foe's strikes will be weak, and his own strikes will be blindingly fast. As he spars against his allies in arms, he exchanges banter, a simple tactic used to improve his allies' morale while enraging his foe; a concept taught early on in his training. After his tenth match, the sparring session reaches its final point - a five on one team against captain Raubahn himself, full spells permitting. It was his best session to date; his team lasted two minutes before being rendered unconscious by the captain - the third best record in the entire regiment. After being awakened by the imperial alchemists and restored to health by the clerics of the temple, he proceeds to his next bout of training, combat with monsters in the pit. He makes short work of the first round, being set upon by three wolves, and makes equally short work of all his matches until, during his fifth session (against a dire boar), the watchman of the bastion comes bursting in. The undead swarm has just been spotted and are advancing on the commoner's ward. He and his brethren are called to the defense of the city; this would be a glorious day. It had been ages since he had taken on the essence of a powerful foe. He rushes to the commoner's ward, taking up guard before the hall of binding, removing the heavy training armor and putting on his chain shirt as he runs. Several mercenaries under the employ of the empire are dispatched as well. The scum of the empire that they are, they provide a valuable asset in protecting the astral candescence, the crown jewel of the empire, and the desire of all the bestial hordes. The battle lasts for hours, but the mercenaries combined with the might of the Immortals force the hordes into retreat. With only the powers of a necromantically infused automaton to show for it on his part, he uses what little magic he has left to see that the wounded immortals and mercenaries are tended to. He retires to the tea house in the merchant's ward for a simple cup of chai tea. This is not just relaxation on his part, quite the contrary, such calming exercises are needed after taking on a soul to keep one's mind sound, and who knows whether or not the trolls will come knocking on the gate just before dinner? Notables: Raubahn Hydrahunter, Meyaada Cerberusmuzzler, Nareema Chimiracarver Organizations: Blue mages have one organization. The Immortals, the imperial guard of Aht Urhgan. There are no other factions of blue mages. NPC Reactions: In most cases, NPCs won't be able to distinguish a mage from something like a fighter. Those that know what the blue mage is tend to fear them, knowing that they are an inch from a psychotic rage. In Aht Urghan, they are both feared and respected as the protector of their land. Blue Mage Lore Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) can research Aht Urhgan blue mages to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs. Blue Mages in the Game Adaptation: Blue mages can fit into any campaign, so long as they hail from Aht Urhgan (setting permitting.) However, any Lawful Neutral society will work in a pinch working as the society's military police Sample Encounter: Nashib Tigerfeller has been sent to the mainlands to slay a group of beholders to learn their deadly gazes, and to bring back any infants they may find for the empire to raise, and grant future blue mages similar spells. In the name of her Magnificence, stop where you stand, a voice commands from beyond the darkness. A lone elf clad in a blue chained shirt, turban, and two gleaming scimitar on his hips steps out, a fierce glare in his eyes. I am Nashib Tigerfeller, officer of the Immortal guard of Aht Urhgan. State your business in these parts. We mean you no harm, I assure you, says Kesceon, laying his staff on the ground. We are merely here because of the rumors of a monster around here terrorizing the people. That is my quarry. You will stay away from it, or I shall strike you down in the name of the Empire and her Magnificence the Empress. This is your only warning, he says, drawing his blades, his voice dripping with venom. He would not be denied his mission by a band of wretched mercenaries. EL 11: ---- Category:3.5e Category:User Category:Class Category:Base Class